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Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, Pedri injured against Athletic club

Barcelona are facing an injury crisis in midfield after both Frenkie de Jong and Pedri were forced off in the first half of Sunday’s LaLiga draw with Athletic Club at San Mames.

De Jong was taken off on a stretcher in the 26th minute after landing awkwardly on his ankle. The Netherlands international spent two months on the sidelines earlier this season with a sprained ankle.

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Pedri, meanwhile, came off just before the break with his third muscle injury of the campaign. A hamstring problem ruled him out for two months in August and he missed three weeks at the turn of the year with another muscle issue.

The match ended in a 0-0 draw, leaving Barca right where they started the day: in third place on 58 points, eight behind LaLiga leaders Real Madrid.

Barça are already without midfielder Gavi, who was ruled out for the season in November after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for Spain.

Coach Xavi Hernández used centre-back Andreas Christensen and youngster Fermín López alongside Ilkay Gündogan after losing De Jong and Pedri at Bilbao.

Oriol Romeu is another option to play in the middle of the park with Barça set to play the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie against Napoli on March 12 at the Olympic Stadium. The first leg in Italy ended 1-1.

Prior to that game, Barça host Mallorca in LaLiga on Friday.

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